Internal combustion engine



Oct. 17, 1933. A NlVEN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Sept. 50, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l 22 I N VENTOR. /5 4 237776 4% Mi ar A TTORNEY.

Oct. 17, 1933. A. M. NIVEN 1,930,533

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Sept. 30, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTOR. flrcZ/e .M eq

BY 1 V" I A TTORNEY.

Patented Get. 17, 1933 UNlTED srA'r s PATENT orrics 1,930,533 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 7 Application September 30, 1929 Serial No. 396,139

6 Claims.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to a gear case structure and means for supporting the crank shaft and associated mechanisms operatively connected therewith, which are housed in part within said gear case. The structure hereinafter described is especially designed for assembly with air cooled radial engines for aircraft, though not exclusively limited to such use, as the principle 0 of the invention maybe incorporated in engines other than aircraft engines and with other types of engines other than the radial type.

An object of my invention is to provide means for more economically constructing internal combustion engines by providing an improved engine structure that may be more economically manufactured and which is provided with 1 means,

whereby the assembly therewith of various en gine parts or mechanisms is facilitated, thus permitting the economical manufacture of this type of engine in production.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved internal combustion engine, by providing a gear case structure that more e iciently 2 supports the various mechanisms in accurate cooperative relation with respect to the crank shaft of the engine, thereby materially lengthening the useful life of the engine as the tendency of the associated engine parts to get out of adjustment and to have abnormal wear is thus eliminated.

For a more detailedunderstanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form which myinvention may assume, and in which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a portion of an internal combustion engine constructed in accordance with my invention; 1

Figure 2 is a View in elevation of the inner end of my improved gear case structure and showing the dividing Wall and bearing means carried thereby;

The invention herein illustrated shows a typical radial internal combustion engine which comprises, a crank case 10, a crank shaft 11 supported in part by said crank case, and a plurality of radially disposed cylinders 12, in which the pistons 13 are reciprocated and connected to the crank portion 11 of the crankshaft 11 by means of the connecting rods 14. A suitable form of valve mechanism 15 is associated with the engine and includes a cam structure 16 that is operated by a suitable valve operating mechanism hereinafter described. Preferably the crankshaft is supported by a bearing 9 carried by a spider or bracket 8 which is carried by the crankcase and preferably located intermediate the cam 16 and the crank portion 11 of the crankshaft.

A gear case 17, preferably formed of a casting and sometimes designated as the accessory drive case, is secured to the crank case of the engine by 69 means of a plurality of bolts 18. The gear case is provided with a partition or division wall 19 that extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the crank shaft and is located adjacent the inner end of the gear case. The dividing wall constructed substantially solid and in substantially a plane positioned at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the crank shaft, thereby serv- I in to arate the interior of the gear case from the crank case of the engine. 70

The division wall of the gear case is provided with bearing means 21 spaced axially of the bearing 9 for supporting one end of the crank which is projected within the gear case; with bearing means 7 for supporting the valve operating mechanism designated as a whole by the reference character 20; and with various other driving mechanisms that are operatively connected to the crank shaft and which are adapted to be connected with one or more mech- 89 anisrns. The drawings illustrate my improved form of gear case structure, and with particular reference to Figure 2, it will be seen that substantially all of the accessory driving mechanisms and the valve operating mechanism are supportedin bearing means carried by this division or partition wall 19. These various bearing means may be enumerated, the reference characters 21, 22 and 23 designating the bearing means for respectively supporting the crank 90 shaft, generator driving mechanism, and the starter drive. 24 designates bearing means for supporting themagneto driving mechanisms. .It will be obviously understood, however, that other mechanisms may be also supported in suitable bearing means carried by the partition wall in addition or in place of those enumerated above if so desired. The partition wall may also be suitably reinforced by one or more reinforcing ribs 25, as shown in Figure 2.

It will be noted that the gear case structure as described above may be economically manufactured, and is so arranged that the various mechanisms operatively connected with the crank shaft can be readily assembled with the engine, access being had to the interior of the crank case and to the several mechanisms house therein, by removing the covers 26 which close the openings 27 in the end wall of the gear case.

Furthermore the gear case structure having such a division or partition wall cast integrally therewith provides a rigid structure for supporting the several driving mechanisms, thereby permitting the several driving mechanisms to be operatively positioned with respect to the crank shaft and prevented from subsequently getting out of adjustment. Such a structure I materially lengthens the life of the motor because there is a relative less tendency of the various mechanisms getting out of adjustment, and excessive wear of the various parts is prevented.

Any suitable lubricating means may be associated with an engine of this character, the lubricant being supplied to the various bearing means carried by the partition wall, the lubricant being circulated through the bearings and into either the crank case or the gear case. Preferably a lubricant passage 28 is cored through the partition for placing he interior of the gear case in direct communication with the crank case, this passage being preferably located adjacent the bottom of the crank case for maintaining a predetermined level of lubricant within the gear case and lubricating the gears of one of the mechanisms housed within said gear case.

Thus I have provided gear case structure of economical manufacture and construction, which is capable of carrying all bearing means for the crank shaft and associated mechanisms.

It may be further noted that the gear case structure 17 which carries the wall 19 is so constructed and arranged with respect to the crankcase 10 as to provide a bearing structure 21 spaced axially of the crankshaft from the bracket 8, that portion of the crankscase located between the bracket 8 and the wall 19 of the gear case being so constructed as to provide a space or chamber 50 in which the valve cam 16 and the drivingand driven gears may be located. More particularly the crankshaft starter gear 30, the starter gear 31, the valve operating mechanism 20, and the gear 32 which drives the generator (not shown) may be all located in the chamber 50 forwardly of the gear case wall 19 and said gears 30, 31, 32 and 20 may be supported by the wall 19 as shown in the illustrated embodiment of my invention.

Although I have illustrated but one form of my invention and have described in detail but a single application thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An internal combustion engine having a crankcase and a crankshaft associated therewith, said crankcase having a bearing structure for supporting the crankshaft rearwardly of the crank portion, said crankshaft extended rearwardly of said bearing structure, said crankcase having a portion extending rearwardly of the bearing structure providing an annular chamber surrounding the crankshaft extension, a gear case structure secured to said crankcase and having a partition wall associated therewith for closing the open end of the crankcase, said. wall provided with a bearing structure for supporting the rearwardly extending portion of the crankshaft, a driving mechanism operatively connected with the crankshaft and located in said crankcase chamber forwardly of said wall, and driven mechanism operatively connected with said driving mechanism and supported by said wall, said driven mechanism disposed generally to the same side of said wall as the driving mechanism and housed within said chamber.

2. An internal combustion engine having a crankcase and a crankshaft associated therewith, said crankshaft extendingv rearwardly of the crankcase, said crankcase having an annular extension providing an annular chamber surrounding the crankshaft extension, a gear case structure secured to the rear of said crankcase structure and having a partition wall associated therewith for closing the open end of the crankcase, a driving mechanism operatively connected with the crankshaft, and driven mechanisms, said wall provided with bearing structures for supporting said driven mechanisms substantially within said chamber forwardly of said wall.

3. An internal combustion engine having a crankcase and a crankshaft associated therewith, said crankshaft extending rearwardly of the crankcase, said crankcase having an annular extension providing an annular chamber surrounding the crankshaft extension, a gear case structure secured to the rear of said crankcase structure and having a partition wall associated therewith for closing the open end of the crankcase, a driving mechanism operatively connected with the crankshaft, and driven mechanisms arranged forwardly of said wall, said wall located substantially adjacent the rear peripheral edge of the crankcase extension and provided with bearing structures for supporting said driven mechanism substantially within said chamber.

4. An internal combustion engine having a crankcase and a crankshaft associated therewith, said crankshaft extending rearwardly of the crankcase, said crankcase having an annular extension providing. an annular chamber surrounding the crankshaft, a gear case structure secured to the rear of said crankcase structure and having a partition wall associated therewith for closing the open end of the crankcase, a driving mechanism within said chamber and operatively connected with the crankshaft, and driven mechanisms located substantially within said chamber and forwardly of said wall, said wall located substantially adjacent flush with the rear edge of the crankcase extension and provided with bearing structures for supporting said driven mechanism and the rear portion of said crankshaft to the rear of said driving mechanism.

' 5. An internal combustion engine having a crankcase and a crankshaft associated therewith, said crankshaft extending rearwardly of the crankcase, said crankcase having an annular extension providing an annular chamber surrounding the crankshaft and carrying an annular intake manifold, a gear case structure secured to the rear of said crankcase structure and having a partition wall associated therewith adjacent to said manifold for closing the rear open end of the crankcase, a driving mechanism operatively connected with the crankshaft, and driven mechanisms, said driving and driven mechanisms located substantially in a common plane extending substantially perpendicular to the crankshaft and substantially flush with the plane of the manifold, said wall provided with bearing structures for supporting said driving and driven mechanisms within said chamber forwardly of the wall.

6. In anaircraft engine of the radial cylinder type having a crankcase and associated crankshaft, a gear case secured to said crankcase and provided with a partition wall for closing the open end of the crankcase, said crankcase and wall respectively provided with spaced bearing structures for supporting that portion of the crankshaft extending rearwardly of the transverse engine plane containing the cylinder axes, said crankcase and wall cooperating to provide a chamber contained substantially internally of 

